. >>> new defense secretary leon panetta is touring afghanistan this morning. he says the u.s. is within reach of defeating al-qaeda. however, a sign that the war is not over, an afghan guard today killed two nato soldiers and wounded another. that shooting happened in the province about 62 miles north of kabul. the guard was standing outside his home when a nato cop soy passed by. he stopped them and started arguing, and then opened fire. they gunned down three service members before getting shot and killed. no word yet on the national a little of the troops. >>> the military is now going to begin accepting applications from individuals openly gay. the pentagon sent out a notice yesterday that it's ending "don't ask, don't tell." that memo comes after the federal appeals court in san francisco ruled the pentagon must stop enforcing that controversial policy. house republicans made a last- ditch effort yesterday to slow down the elimination of the ban on openly gay service members, blocking funds. but that measure is not expected to pass the senate. >>> in iowa, a conservative